High Stakes
by HighlandsgirlLilyGhostShellSue
Summary: Ranger knows all bets are off when it comes to knowing, saving, and loving Stephanie Plum.
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: ShellSueD was the mastermind behind this story. I feel very fortunate that she and LilyGhost continue to allow me to write with them. Please enjoy our Thanksgiving collaboration. JE owns most of the characters and all the mistakes are mine!**_

Les loved to bet.

It started when we were kids, eight or nine years old. He'd dare me to do something he considered nearly impossible and then bet me that I couldn't do it.

 _Bet you can't get Abuela Rosa to make us Christmas cookies in July._

 _Bet you can't hit a homerun when Jorge Munoz is pitching against us in the Little League championship game._

Things only escalated as we got to high school

 _Bet you can't seduce Mademoiselle Morrisette,_ the lovely co-ed who filled in when our French teacher had her gall bladder removed.

The fact that Les rarely won a bet never seemed to deter him.

When we were sixteen, he bet me that I couldn't steal Mr. Finster's tricked out El Camino and drive it around the block. He lost that bet too. Sadly, he didn't bet me that I wouldn't get caught.

When we became adults with a fair amount of disposable income, the wagers were less frequent but the stakes were higher, the rules of engagement more elaborate. Outsiders sometimes worried that Les had a closet gambling addiction, but it wasn't like that. He never played the ponies, and he hated Vegas. The bets were just part of our dynamic. More often than not, he was the one who initiated them. Sometimes I thought he did it as a way to blow off a little steam or relieve some stress. Other times, I thought he was probably just bored. Occasionally, he tried to draw one of the newer guys into it, almost like a rite of passage.

That's what happened on our last op. Mission specs called for four guys, and I'd planned on taking the core team. At the last minute, there were pressing business concerns in Trenton and Tank suggested that Dallas from the Boston office take his place. We'd been grooming Dallas for a leadership position, but he needed more field experience.

That's how Les, Bobby, Dallas and I ended up staking out a scrub-covered hill overlooking a winding dirt road that led from Matamoros, Mexico north toward Brownsville, Texas. We'd been sent to intercept a human trafficking cartel ferrying girls abducted from Guatemala to the United States.

"If our intel is correct, a white panel van is going to come barreling down this round in-" Les paused, consulted his watch, "four and a half minutes. I bet you $500 bucks you can't disable the vehicle by shooting out all four tires—"

I adjusted the scope on my rifle. "Your lack of faith wounds me, _hermano_."

"-with just four bullets," he continued. "No misses. No wasted ammo."

"Shit, man. That's gonna require perfect timing," Dallas chimed in before I could respond. "You've got a narrow window to get the right rear tire, maybe five seconds after the truck falls within range and before it hits the first bend in the road."

"And?" I stared at him, blank face firmly in place. Like I said, Dallas was young and needed some extra training. He continued to babble.

"Even if you hit both tires on the right, they're probably gonna shoot back —"

 _If? What the fuck?_ "Guess you guys will just have to cover me," I deadpanned.

Bobby snickered. He knew not to get involved with one of our bets. Les reached out and clapped Dallas on the back. "I like the way you think, dude. So you want in?"

"In?" For a moment, the Boston Rangeman looked puzzled.

"Five hundred bucks that he can't do it?"

"Can't?" Dallas stammered, flushing under the hot Texas sun. "No, of course, not. I mean I would never bet against the boss—"

Les silenced him with a wave of his hand and turned to me. "What's it gonna be, Ranger?"

"Make it a thousand and you've got yourself a bet."

oOoOo

An international humanitarian agency ultimately took charge of the 15 young women we found shackled in the back of the truck. We turned the traffickers over to Border Patrol and then headed to D.C. for the obligatory debriefing. After an eight-hour meeting with Homeland Security and the FBI, followed by a two-hour negotiation with my handlers, I was feeling generous. With a grand from Les tucked away in my wallet, I offered to take the team out for a late dinner.

"This day definitely calls for a celebration and a beer," Bobby said as we exited the DHS complex on Nebraska Avenue.

"Your cousin still in the kitchen at Birch and Barley?" I asked. The Logan Circle hot spot rarely had an empty table but Bobby made a call, and we were lead to a booth almost immediately after our arrival.

As our dinner was served, Les raised his beer bottle at me. "I gotta hand it to you, Ranger. You da man. You really did have the feds eating of your hand by the end."

I tipped mine in his direction. "It's a gift."

"Must be. I never thought you'd convince them to let you go after just one more mission, and a training mission at that." My cousin took a long drink and swallowed. "You know, I've never been able to figure out why you haven't used your super powers of persuasion on Stephanie."

"How do you know I haven't?"

"Seriously? So _that's_ why she's been in and out of the cop's bed for the last three years?" Dallas' eyes widened, and Bobby gave a warning shake of his head, trying to settle us both down. With Tank back in Trenton, it would be his job to break up any fights.

"Fuck you, Santos." I was never going to admit to him that was _exactly_ why she and Morelli had lasted as long as they had. At one point in time, I was convinced he was the better choice for her… that he could offer her what she deserved when I couldn't. I guessed that I'd been reasonably persuasive for her to have put up with his shit for so long. "At least I convinced her to work at RangeMan."

My cousin snorted. "We all know that was Silvio. He convinced Steph that he couldn't possibly take six weeks of paternity leave to spend time with Carly and the twins unless she filled in for him." He motioned to the waiter for another round. "Let's face it, _Primo_. You don't exactly have a strong track record of getting the lovely Miss Plum to fall in line and behave like the rest of the employees do."

"You behave?" I asked him incredulously.

"No, seriously. Let's look at your track record." He picked a sweet potato fry out of the basket on the table.

"One. She's still living in that crappy apartment of hers, even though we have at least two empty units for employees on four."

"She values her independence. That's one of the things I admire about her."

Les rolled his eyes. "Right." He grabbed another fry and waved it at me before popping it in his mouth. "Two. She still hates to carry her gun—"

"She's getting better. She puts in her mandatory range time."

"Only because Hector and Zip escort her there and make sure she gets it done."

"I heard she has a desk drawer full of TastyKakes," Dallas interjected. "Is that just rumor or—"

"True story," Bobby confirmed. "She also hides her Ben and Jerry's in Ella's freezer."

I considered telling them about Steph's jelly donut hormones. When she was still with Morelli, it pained me to think about her being in his bed, and I fed her some sugar just out of spite. Now? I was trying to take things slow until we finished the contract and I could get my shit together where she was concerned.

"You've been completely unsuccessful in getting her sweet ass of bed to run with us in the morning—"

"Quit thinking about her ass, Santos."

Dallas made a sound… I couldn't tell if he was laughing or choking. I turned to him, keeping my voice low.

"What's the matter, Dallas? You agreeing with Santos? You think my woman has a nice ass?"

"No sir."

Santos smacked the back of his head. "Liar."

"I mean, yes sir, Stephanie—" I glared at him, "er, Ms. Plum has a fabulous ass. But I would never think about it," he finished weakly, his face nearly as red as the Siracha sauce Les had squirted all over the fries.

"Face it, man. She's immune to you. You're never going to convince her to do something that she doesn't really want to do."

"Is that a challenge, Les?"

He grinned at me. "Speaking of her ass…"

"Don't go there, "I warned him, willing my body to behave. Stephanie really did have a spectacular ass. "There is not a man on earth who could get her to agree to _that_."

"OK, OK. Lemme think for a minute." He drained his second beer and tapped his finger against his chin.

"Guys, this is Bomber you're talking about it," Bobby broke in. "Are you sure it's a good idea to bet on her?"

Les turned serious. "Stephanie is an amazing woman, and I would never do anything to hurt her. But this is really about Ranger and what he's willing and _able_ to do." He leaned over and whispered something in my ear. "There's no way that you'll ever get her to… "

I slumped back in the booth and couldn't help but laugh at him.

"You wanna bet?"

oOoOo

We caught the first flight out of DC to Newark, and it was just after 8 when I let myself into Stephanie's apartment.

As I stepped into her foyer, I heard the sounds of the shower, confirming my suspicions that she was awake, but had not yet fully started her day.

I placed the bag of donuts on the breakfast bar, along with a small box I pulled from my coat pocket, before turning my attention to the coffee maker on the kitchen counter.

Less than five minutes later, I heard Stephanie's voice. "Hey, is that coffee I smell?" She appeared in the hallway, wearing a fluffy blue bathrobe with a white towel wrapped around her head, turban-style. She pulled up short as soon as she saw the small blue box tied with a white satin ribbon.

"What the hell, Ranger?"

"I'm glad to see you too, Babe."

"What is that?" She pointed to the box accusingly, her lower lip quivering. _Interesting that she hadn't seemed to notice the Tasty Pastry bag._

I poured her a cup of coffee and added a little milk, no sugar. "One way to find out. Open it."

"But—"

I stalked over to her with the coffee, pressing the warm mug into her hands. "Do you trust me, Stephanie?"

"Of course but—"

I shook my head at her. She took a sip of coffee and swallowed hard before she placed her mug on the counter. Then she reached for the box, pulled the ribbon off and flipped the lid. She stared at the contents, chewing on her lower lip. Finally, she met my gaze and shook her head.

"No. More specifically, hell no."

"Think about it."

"We've been over this before. I don't need or want this—"

"But _I_ do. Please, Querida. It's important to me." That took some of the wind out of her sails. She grabbed her mug and took another sip of coffee without ever taking the offensive object out of its pretty packaging. "I don't understand," she finally said.

"It's a panic alarm with a GPS, state of the art. I picked it up on my … on my last trip." _My CIA buddy in DC told me this one is the best available, on or off the market._

"You've given me a lot of trackers in the past." I could hear the uncertainty in her voice.

"No, Babe, that's not true." She started to argue, but I pulled her close to me and pressed a kiss against her lips, preventing her from getting a word out. "I've hidden the trackers in your purse, your car, in various articles of your clothing. This one's different."

"Explain."

"I'm asking you to _accept_ this one, Stephanie. I want you to carry it as a symbol of the promise we make to one other."

"A promise?" she stammered.

From that point forward, I couldn't have cared less about the bet. "You promise to do your best to stay safe, to take care of the one person in this world that I don't think I can live without… the person I love and cherish above all others." I ducked my head and kissed her again, deep and slow. _My Abuela was right. Honesty was the best policy._

"I…I guess I can do that." She pulled back a little so that she could look me in the eye. "And you're making a promise too?"

I nodded. "I promise that you can depend on me. When you need me, I will be there for you. If you are in trouble, I will always find you."

"Always?" Now she sounded hopeful.

"You can bet on it."

oOoOo

After keeping Stephanie at an uncomfortable distance for nearly three years, I expected that it would take more than a week or two to convince her that I was ready for a different kind of relationship. Unfortunately, that was all the time I had. Ten days after I arrived back in Trenton, I received new orders from my government handler. NATO forces were planning war games on Turkey's border with Syria, and my assignment involved exercise analysis and training.

I'd planned to tell Stephanie after dinner on seven, so I asked Ella to make her favorites. Uncharacteristically, though, Steph just picked at her lasagna and refused dessert.  
"You know I love Ella's tiramisu, but I don't think I could eat another bite right now."

I topped off our wine glasses before I followed her to the living room. She'd bypassed the couch and was standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows, staring out into the darkness. I deposited the glasses on the coffee table and went to stand behind her, pulling her back to my front. I buried my nose in her curls and breathed in her sweet scent. _God I was going to miss her._

"When do you leave?" Steph asked quietly, making me wonder if I'd uttered that last thought out loud.

"Day after tomorrow but how did you-?"

"Because I know you," she broke in. "I'm guessing you got the news this afternoon because you've been a little different since you got back from the meeting at the bank. You've already gone into mission mode. Do you know how long you'll be gone?"

"If all goes according to plan, a couple of weeks, maybe."

She sighed and relaxed into me, tilting her head so I could kiss her neck. "That's not so bad. It's a training mission, so you promise not to get shot, right?"

I tapped the right front pocket of her jeans. "As long as you promise not to go crazy and forget to carry your panic alarm."

Unfortunately, an unscripted incident involving a Russian plane bordered more on war than game, and it was a month before I made it back state-side. Surprisingly, Bobby was the Rangeman waiting for me in the arrivals area at Newark.

"Core team doing airport duty now?" I would have worried about the implications, but I'd called Tank as soon as we'd landed and he hadn't mentioned any major problems.

Bobby shrugged as he put the Navigator in gear and pulled away from the curb.

"We have three guys out with some sort of gastrointestinal illness, and we're on a holiday schedule. It's all hands on deck." He looked over at me and grinned. "There was an accident on I-95 and traffic sucked, but coming to collect your sorry ass is still better than monitor duty."

"Good to know." I let my head fall back against the headrest and closed my eyes. "Did my special order arrive while I was away?"

Bobby laughed. "Oh yeah. I parked it in my garage and covered it with a tarp. I still can't believe you bought Santos a car for Christmas."

"He's had his eye on that one for a while."

"So that's what you did with your winnings from the bet? He lost his year-end bonus to you, and you turn right around and buy him a vintage Corvette Stingray with it?"

"Technically, I used his bonus to buy the—" Before I could finish the sentence, my phone pinged as did Bobby's. Steph had just activated her panic alarm.


	2. Chapter 2

_JE owns the rights to anything familiar. All mistakes are mine._

AN: Big thanks to **_highlands girl_** and **_LilyGhost_** for not batting an eye when I sent you this, which was clearly the middle of a story, and asked you to write a beginning and an ending. You did, brilliantly of course, and I have so much fun writing with both of you so let's keep doing it!

* * *

When I woke up this morning there had been two things on my mind. One, Ranger's return from wherever the hell he'd been the last four weeks, and two, my Mother's roast turkey with all the trimmings. I was really looking forward to both and to a quiet and peaceful Thanksgiving holiday.

Unfortunately, I made the bad decision of answering a call from Connie, who'd received some very reliable intel on the whereabouts of one Miles Stager, an FTA I'd been after for months, and now I was dangling off the roof of a seven story building by a fifteen foot extension cord, the integrity of which was very questionable.

I was trying not to swing because I could clearly see the cord was fraying against the brick pavers lining the edge of the roof with every minuscule movement I made. I guess the upside, if there could be an upside to this nightmare, is I wasn't hanging upside down. If I ended up falling, maybe I'd just break my legs and not splatter my brains all over the asphalt below.

My only saving grace, at least I hoped it would save me, was the fact I'd hit the panic alarm I promised Ranger I would carry just as I went over the side.

I almost cried in relief when Lester's adorable face appeared directly in my line of vision.

"Hey bomber," he said casually. "Nice bra. I like the red lace; Victoria's Secret?"

I'd forgotten that not only did I get thrown over the side of a building, but the asshole skip had nearly ripped off the t-shirt I was wearing when he took exception to me trying to cuff him and went ballistic. It surprised me as there was nothing in his file about him being a complete lunatic, but I don't know what I could have done differently that may have prevented this. Right now I was thankful he didn't also tear my pants, because with a lack of clean clothes and a lack of any ambition to actually _do_ my laundry, I had a commando situation going on.

"Thanks, Les. If you pull me up I'll let you have a closer look."

 _"That's not happening."_ The voice rising from below was a balm to my terrified heart. I hadn't heard it in what seemed like forever and it was arguably the best sound in the universe.

 _Ranger was back._

I instinctively tilted my head down so I could see him in all his gorgeous glory and that was a big mistake. The cord shifted with my moving weight and I heard something snap just as Ranger shouted, "Don't move!"

My stomach heaved up into my throat when I started to drop but the sudden descent was halted a beat later and my body jerked against the cord, which was weaved through the belt loops of my pants. Saying a prayer the material would hold, I pried my eyes open, which I'd squeezed shut the second I started to fall, and discovered Lester half hanging over the side of the building with the other end of the extension cord gripped in both hands. I tried really hard not to panic but seeing as he was the only thing keeping me from plummeting to the earth, panicking seemed like my only option.

"I have her," he said through clenched teeth, "but I can't hold this for long."

I vaguely heard orders being barked, I was assuming by Ranger, but was too busy chanting, _please don't drop me_ , over and over so couldn't make out anything. When I chanced another look at Lester, sweat was dripping from his face and veins were popping out everywhere with the exertion of holding my dead weight in midair. I really needed to lay off the doughnuts so I wouldn't be so heavy if this happened again. And if this ever _did_ happen again, I might have to seriously consider a career change. My Mother told me last week the tampon factory is hiring.

Just as I was about to tell Lester to let me go and hope for the best, I heard fire truck sirens getting closer and Cal and Hal appeared on either side of him to help hold me.

Then incredibly strong and very familiar arms encased my legs.

Lester dropped his end of the cord and Ranger pulled me down onto the fire escape where he'd been balancing precariously in an effort to reach me.

Before I could wrap my arms around his waist and never let him go again, he was cradling my face in his hands and asking if I was okay.

"I think so, and I sure am thankful you're back." He exhaled a short breath and then crushed me against his chest.

"Me too," he replied and kissed the crown of my head. "Where's your coat? It's freezing out here."

"I don't know, I think I lost it in the scuffle up there."

"Looks like it was more than a scuffle to me." He released me so he could strip out of his own jacket and wrap it around my shoulders. Glancing down at the sorry state of my shirt as he tugged the coat's sides together, he said, "Lester's right about the bra, but I'm the only one who's _ever_ going to get a closer look."

"Well that works out great since you're the only one I _want_ looking."

"Good to know," he responded with a small smile and then lowered his mouth over mine. I'm sure he meant for the kiss to be relatively chaste because we had quite the audience with the arrival of the fire department and a patrol car, but I hadn't tasted those lips in way too long and I might have gotten slightly carried away. I slid my arms around his neck and pulled him closer as our tongues touched. He separated our mouths when my legs started to go weak at the knees and someone from beneath us yelled out, "Christ, get a room already!" I think it was Bobby but I couldn't be sure.

"Mats 0600, Brown," Ranger barked - _definitely Bobby_ \- and then he extracted a utility knife from his pocket and began to cut away the cord, which was still hanging from my pants. "How did he manage to get this done?"

"I don't know, he moved really fast and I got distracted when he started tearing at my clothes."

Ranger's eyes narrowed in an all too familiar way and I had the thought that Miles Stager better have run very far away or he'd soon find himself in the hospital…or the _morgue_. Ranger dropped the cord off the fire escape and was most likely silently plotting which appendage of the unfortunate skip would be removed first, the second he was caught. "You ready to climb down? We have to get moving if you don't want to be late for dinner."

I checked my watch and it was fifteen minutes to six. If we hurried, we'd make it. "Yeah, I'm ready, but are you sure _you're_ ready for dinner with my parents? Last time you said you would rather navigate through a live minefield than share another meal with my family."

He zipped up the jacket he'd put on me and guided me to the narrow stairs of the fire escape. "That's still true, but if you want me there, I'm there."

I hit the steps with Ranger at my back and we started down. "I want you there."

"Then that's where I'll be."

Of the things in my life for which I am thankful, Ranger is at the top of the list.

When we hit the ground I was surrounded by the firemen and paramedics who'd been two steps behind Ranger in the rescue department and after assuring them I was fine and giving my statement to Carl and Big Dog, who'd also been too late to help, I got hugs from the waiting Bobby and Ram.

"I'm glad you're okay Steph," Bobby admitted, "but you nearly gave Ranger a heart attack. His brown ass turned a ghostly shade of white when we saw you hanging up there."

I cut my eyes to Ranger but he was getting something out of the back of his Cayenne.

"I almost gave _myself_ a heart attack. If not for Ranger and Lester I think you'd all be scraping me up off the pavement right now."

 _"Did someone say my name?"_

Lester and Hal and Cal came around the side of the building and I ran to give Lester a hug. "Thank you for saving my ass," I said.

"And what an ass it is," he quipped.

" _Santos_ ," Ranger growled what was clearly a warning and Lester immediately let me go.

"Well, really I was saving my _own_ ass because Ranger would have killed me if I dropped you."

"I still might if you say another word about _any_ part of her anatomy."

"Alright," Ram interjected, "this has been fun, but there is pizza and a case of beer waiting for us back at Rangeman and I'm starving so let's roll.

"Wait...you're having beer and pizza for Thanksgiving?"

"Yep," Lester jumped in. "Meat lovers."

"All of you?" I looked around at each of them and got confirmation nods from everyone. I guess I just assumed they all had family around and would be going to their respective homes for dinner. "No way," I said. "Now you're all coming with us to dinner at my parents' house." It was the least I could do after they came to my rescue. Ranger gave me a lifted brow but didn't comment.

"Are you sure, Bomber?" Cal wanted to know. "Your Mother won't mind?"

"Hell yeah she'll mind. She's terrified of all of you but that's what will make it fun."

"You are an evil woman, Steph," Bobby commented, but he was grinning from ear to ear.

"Time to head out," Ranger ordered. "You go together and Steph and I will be right behind you."

Everyone piled in Ram's Navigator and took off and Ranger handed me one of his Rangeman t-shirts. "It's the best I can do unless you want to be _really_ late. Although Helen is already going to have an aneurysm when she finds out you brought five extra people to Thanksgiving dinner without notice so we can probably stop and get you something that actually fits."

"No, this is perfect." I stripped out of the jacket and the rest of my torn shirt and quickly pulled his over my head while he shielded me from any potential peeping eyes. I put the jacket back on and then Ranger grabbed the front of it and used it to pull me against his body for another kiss that made me rethink being late. When he eventually broke away, he touched his forehead to mine and quietly confessed, "You scared the shit out of me, Babe."

I curled into his embrace and gently pressed my lips against his neck. "I know, I'm sorry. And just for the record, I take back all the things I said about the panic alarm."

Ranger didn't respond but I could feel his smile in my hair. We stayed wrapped in each other's arms for another beat and then headed to dinner.

It was five after six when we rolled up to the house and into the driveway. Late, but not dinner-ruining late. Ram was parked at the curb and I could see my Mother and Grandma waiting behind the screen door, probably panicking about what rumors the neighbors would start regarding the two very black and very expensive vehicles parked in front of her house.

Ranger left the engine idling while I stared at the porch. "Are we making a run for it?" He asked.

I knew he was kidding, but I was seriously contemplating the thought. "Maybe. I'm debating whether or not turkey and stuffing and pie will be enough to counteract the insanity that is my family."

"There isn't enough food in existence, Steph. But the look on her face when she sees who you've brought with you might be worth it." He turned off the car and took the lead by exiting the vehicle, which prompted Ram and the rest of the guys to follow suit. I have to admit, he was right about my Mother's face. I wish I'd had a camera.

"Hey Mom," I greeted as we stepped onto the porch, "it's okay that I brought some friends, right? You always make enough to feed a small country anyway."

She was staring with her mouth agape and eyes wide at the skull tattooed on Cal's forehead and didn't respond until Grandma elbowed her in the gut. "Well-well-well of course it is," she stuttered out and I had to bite my tongue to keep from laughing. I quickly made the introductions but could tell she really wasn't listening. Ever the proper Burg hostess, she nodded at each name I said and then wiped what I was sure were sweating palms on the apron tied around her waist. "We'll just have to add an extension leaf to the table." She peered nervously around at each of the men, selecting the least intimidating one to speak to. "Ah, you can help with that, can't you... _Lenny_ , is it?"

Les cut his eyes quickly to me before responding, "Its Lester ma'am, and I'd be glad to help."

"Well isn't this a pip?" Grandma said. "I've always wanted to have dinner with a whole table full of badasses. Each of you have a gun, right? I got my .45 upstairs."

"Mother, _please._ Well come in, come in, before the food gets cold." She began ushering them inside and I was right behind Cal with Ranger bringing up the rear when he snagged me by the arm.

"I think you're forgetting something, Babe." I was stumped until he began to slide the diamond ring off my left hand. "Unless you're ready to tell your parents we're engaged?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks to ShellSueD and highlands girl for once again letting me 'join forces' with you, and for always thinking I have something to contribute to your stories. Anyone and everything familiar is Janet's. The mistakes are mine alone.**

I'd reached for Steph's arm before she could get too far away from me. Helen is likely freaking internally with me and my men invading her home. Though manners will keep her from voicing it, I figure Stephanie won't want to add to the mayhem by causing her to have a heart attack when she learns that not only did I propose to her daughter ... Steph's answer had been an immediate - and very enthusiastic - yes. If my cousin had been just a bit more reckless, not only would her ring have been purchased, I would have also bought tickets for our honeymoon when I'd gone to pick it up. I can afford any ring or any place she wants to go, but our engagement seems even sweeter having a member of my family - however childish - as part of the process.

I'd been surprised by my own reaction to the thought of getting married again, so I can't begin to imagine what the news will do to Helen. Joe was barely acceptable boyfriend material to her in the beginning, and I surpass him in almost every issue Steph's parents used to have with him; dangerous job, rocky childhood, questionable reputation ...

Although I know Stephanie doesn't want to withhold good news from her family, she's fully aware that it may not be taken as welcome information. And we both agreed on her only wearing her ring if she isn't entering the Burg until we were ready for everybody to know. I wasn't opposed to keeping our engagement under wraps a little longer before it's made into something solely about other people's feelings on the unsuitability of it. I was surprised to see the diamond on her finger today, but my guess would be that it's been on her finger every day I've been gone. Which is why I proposed just before going in the wind again. I knew she'd want something of mine to hold onto and I needed to know she'd be there for me when I got back.

"Do you still want to wait to tell your parents?" I asked.

Before I touched her ring and mentioned our engagement, she'd had an adorably puzzled expression on her face as to why I stopped her.

"I would say a definite yes, but that was before I found myself dangling off the side of a building, seconds away from being a Hungarian/Italian splat on the pavement. I don't like hiding this, like we're something to be ashamed of, but I've enjoyed keeping this as private news that only our Rangefamily knows about."

"Why don't we tackle dinner and then revisit this conversation tomorrow."

Her arms came around me, letting me know that she approved of the suggestion.

She smiled against my lips. "I'm so glad you're home. I don't even care that we have to put off a real reunion until after dinner with my family."

I kissed her with just enough tongue to keep her thinking about the _reuniting_ we'll be doing later, and then slipped her ring into my pocket. I'll return it when we're back at the Rangeman building. I'll put it on her finger preferably after I've gotten her naked and been inside her a few times.

"That wasn't fair," she complained.

"I don't play fair."

"I know. That's why I love you. I'm betting that's what drew you to me, too. I have a history of fighting dirty myself. You could say we understand each other."

My lips twitched at the innocent 'bet' reference. She'd likely be momentarily pissed if she found out about the bets going on behind the scenes, but I have no doubt her gears would immediately start turning, thinking up ways to cure him of his preferred method of blowing off steam. Maybe I'll let her loose on him as a one-year anniversary present. She'll be too entrenched in our world by then to want out of it.

I rested my hand on her hip as we moved further into the chaos. The Plum house had all the usual activity times a hundred. Valerie's girls were arguing about something important only to the three of them. Frank had a game on a high decibel level in an attempt to drown them out. Kloughn was sitting on the couch trying to referee the girls while attempting to engage his father-in-law in conversation ... both were ignoring him. And Helen could now be heard instructing Edna and Valerie on how to adjust the table settings and in which order to carry out the trays full of the food she's been 'slaving over'. Ella does the same amount of work three times a day, every single day, and she can manage it all with a smile and an inquiry on how your day went. I could literally feel the moment my men were deciding whether to stay or bolt. Steph sensed it, too. With an arm still around my waist, she gave them a cheat sheet to surviving her family.

"As long as you don't touch the remote or sit in my dad's chair at the table or in the living room you'll be fine," she told them. "If you talk sports, cars, or the Army, he'll pay attention to you ... something Albert hasn't figured out yet. You all know Grandma, so just keep your bits out of grabbing range and you'll leave mostly unmolested. You don't need to worry about Valerie or my nieces, they're loud and emotional, but harmless ..."

"What about your mom?" Hal asked.

Steph almost rolled her eyes. "She'll remain in hostess-mode unless the food gets cold. There's nothing you can do to completely satisfy her, but you can pacify her by telling her dinner is good."

Politeness doesn't apply to immediate family it seems, because Helen zeroed in on Stephanie once the table leaf was slid into place and Edna and Valerie had fixed the tablecloth and centerpiece and had already moved onto setting the food out.

"Stephanie ... what in heaven's name are you wearing? You're never going to find a good man if you keep dressing like one."

Steph cut her eyes to me and I can tell she wanted to laugh at the absurdity of that comment. She not only found a man, she's agreed to keep me. How _good_ I am can be debated.

"I had a little accident and needed a quick replacement," she said to her mom.

"Did your shirt get lit on fire?" Grandma Mazur asked, pausing in her attempt to get her great-granddaughters to the table. "Or did you wind up with that Vaseline guy again?"

Les answered for her. "Neither. She went on an unplanned rappel."

Helen spilled the gravy she'd been in the process of putting down.

"What happened?" She asked Stephanie.

I shot my cousin a look. Family or not, he'll be joining Brown in the gym.

"It was just a misunderstanding between me and a skip I had. The guys," she said, smiling at my men as I pulled her chair out for her, "had my back though. And Ranger came home at just the right time."

The smile she gave me was warmer and far more intimate than the one directed at where the guys were sitting down.

"Umm ..." Helen started, her lips pressing together as if she was suddenly nervous.

"What?" Steph asked. "What's with the noise? What did you do now?"

"Nothing."

"She invited the Italian Stallion over for dessert," Edna admitted for her.

I'd be pissed about Morelli circling the waters, but I have no concerns about him and Stephanie anymore. I also don't care if Helen was hoping to ease me out of the equation since it won't ever happen. Stephanie, on the other hand, isn't feeling as generous as I am. Her eyes narrowed.

"Why would you do that?" She asked Helen.

"I ran into him when I was out picking up a few last minute items. I asked about his mother and he asked how you were. When I mentioned that I was going to try a new recipe for dessert this year, he looked so hopeful I felt I had to offer him an invitation."

I wanted to smile at Steph's priorities. She was instantly lusting after _sugar_ , not Morelli.

"What's for dessert?" She asked her mother.

"Pumpkin Cheesecake Pecan Pie."

"We're getting two things?"

"It's all layered into one pie. But there are _three_ of them," Valerie answered.

Ram's eyes rolled back in his head and Bobby moaned. _Idiots_. There's something better than dessert, but I have to patiently wait to have it. A whack to my thigh under the table brought me back to the conversation. I turned my head and was looking straight into Steph's blue eyes.

"Behave," she ordered me, and then passed me a platter full of turkey.

I put some of the meat on my plate, passed it to Cal, and then leaned in close to speak directly into her ear.

"I _am_ behaving ... otherwise I'd be having _you_ on this table instead of turkey."

That got a reaction, so much so that her mother put down the wine glass she'd been attached to since finally sitting down.

"Are you alright, Stephanie? You look a little flushed. I hope you aren't getting sick. You should dress warmer when you go out now. The temperatures have been dropping with every passing day."

"Jeez, Helen," Edna told her, "I didn't think you were that far gone. She ain't sick."

"Unless you count being _love_ sick," Santos said around a disgusting mouthful of mashed potatoes, gravy, turkey, plus cranberry sauce.

If I wasn't related to him, I'd swear he'd been raised by wolves. Cal and Hal grinned, which earned them a warning stare.

"Can it," I told Lester, not wanting mine and Steph's relationship questioned further.

"We're talking about _Joe_ ," she told everyone. "Not me. So he's coming ... _why_?"

"For pie," Helen said, after another healthy swallow of Cabernet.

"He'd better not be," Bobby muttered into his napkin.

He wasn't quiet enough. This time, Steph was giving him an eye-warning.

"Is there a reason his mom and grandmother aren't feeding him?" She asked her family.

Valerie answered. "Mom took pity on him because Mrs. Morelli's pie crust isn't flaky and her pumpkin filling isn't sweet enough."

Steph nodded like that was a logical reason. Both of them know Helen would never pass up the opportunity to out-bake another high-ranking Burg wife.

"I hope you don't mind," Helen added.

"If you cared that I'd mind, you would've asked before inviting him. You knew I was coming over and that I'd be bringing Ranger if he was able to come."

That she's still eating is an good indicator that she doesn't care who's here or who will be soon. She made sure the guys received a decent holiday meal, she gets to eat dessert, and I'm home. In her mind ... life is good. Adrenaline will do that. So will liking your life.

"Mary Alice, stop trying to stab your sister or I'm going to take your fork away," Helen told her granddaughter. "Would you like more stuffing, Frank?"

That was the last of the conversation until the food was demolished and the dinner plates removed. Edna was handing out dessert dishes as Helen started cutting slices of something I wouldn't eat even under the threat of torture.

At the one solid knock to the front door my men and I all tensed, automatically reaching for the weapons we hadn't removed. Morelli walked into the house without bothering with a second one. The familiarity of that pissed me off, but all he has is Helen's approval ... I have Stephanie, so I relaxed and waited to see where this went.

"Joseph," Helen said rushing over to him, "I'm so glad you could join us."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw both Stephanie and Valerie roll their eyes.

"Thank you for having me," Morelli replied. "I hope I'm not imposing. I noticed all the cars outside."

"Stephanie brought along some ..."

" _Friends_ ," she said emphatically. "I brought along my friends ... and Ranger, too."

"I see that." He didn't look happy to see me, but he nodded. "Manoso."

"Morelli," I said, not getting up. I wanted him to know that I don't see him as a threat on any level. "What brings you here?"

"Mrs. Plum invited me for dessert."

"If you'd stop yammering," Frank told him, "we could all have some."

" _Frank!_ " Helen whisper-hissed.

"What?"

"Here, Hot Cakes," Edna told Morelli, "you can sit next to me, since the one beside my granddaughter is taken."

Joe swallowed hard. That'll teach him for trying to keep himself in Stephanie's life.

"I really don't think ..."

"Joe," Steph said, "sit."

He did, much to my and my men's amusement. It's always a relief to have her impatience directed elsewhere.

"How's life, Cupcake?"

"It's good. It got even better an hour ago."

"When you were dangling off the side of a building? I heard about that. I know I'd find that preferable to certain company."

He said that while smiling at Helen as she handed him a slab of dessert that will hopefully shave a few years off his life.

"Knock it off, Joe," Steph said to him. "If you're going to pick a fight, I can make your dessert a to-go order."

"Stephanie ..."

"Don't ' _Stephanie_ ' me, Mom. He's the _guest_. He shouldn't be trying to start anything. He should just sit there, look pretty, and not say a damn thing."

"It's fine, Babe."

Her hand settled on my leg. "No, it's not. You belong here more than he does ... and he still gets better treatment."

Joe gave Helen a wink. "I'm an honorary member of the family. I think Burg rules state that if a man has at least three pot roast dinners at a specific family's house, he becomes one of them."

"Bossman has a different set of rules he lives by," Cal told him.

The five of them hadn't relaxed at all. They know this has the potential to go very wrong. Hiding a cop's body would require more planning and more time.

Morelli laughed without any humor. "I bet he does."

Steph glared at Joe, but he kept up the smug attitude. She turned to me. "I want it back."

I didn't have to ask what she was talking about. "Now?"

"Yes. It's long overdue."

"What's going on, Steph?" Valerie asked.

Now the idiots I hired were grinning.

"Wait for it ..." Ram told her.

"Wait for what?" Edna asked Steph.

"What is wrong with everyone tonight?" Helen asked the ceiling, while I took the diamond Steph said was the size of my Turbo's headlight out of my pocket and passed it to her under the table.

She put it where it belonged before holding her left hand up for everyone to see. "Ranger _is_ family ... sorry about the relatives you'll be getting along with me," she said to me, before addressing the table again, "because he asked me to marry him. And I said yes."

Her announcement must have been completely unexpected. Everyone at the table went still, forgetting about dessert entirely. Likely a first in this house. Helen's wine glass made a muted thump as it slipped from her hand.

"Is this a joke?" She asked her daughter. "Are you kidding again? I know the amount of joy you get from tormenting me."

"No joke," I told her. "I was dead serious when I proposed."

"Ranger wants to get married? And you actually said _yes_?" Valerie asked. " _Wow_."

"Yeah ... wow is right," Steph agreed. "I walked into Ranger's apartment after a crappy day and was surprised to see what looked like a romantic dinner laid out in the dining room. Ella was happier than usual which really should have tipped me off that something was up. I got dinner, homemade chocolate mousse cake, and another blue box with this ring inside it."

She'd put up more of a fight over the panic button than she did over agreeing to become my wife once the shock wore off.

" _Look at that ring!_ " Edna said, almost knocking her chair over to get a closer look.

"It's pretty, isn't it?"

" _Pretty_ isn't the right word, Steph," Brown told her. "If you knew ..."

"Do you want to be able to walk out of the gym on your own?" I asked, dead serious this time, too.

"Yep, a pretty ring it definitely is," he quickly said.

The cost isn't relevant ... neither is the source of the money.

"You're marrying my daughter?" Frank asked me.

"Yes."

" _Uh-oh_ ," Kloughn whimpered, having gone through this himself.

But Frank just stared at me for a few beats before speaking. "You gonna treat her better than he did?" He asked, pointing his whipped cream coated fork at Joe.

"Yes," I said again.

"That's not much of a promise," my helpful cousin added, right before Cal elbowed him.

He has a point. Morelli treated her like a place-saver. When he wanted her, she was expected to be there for him. When he didn't, she was left to stand alone.

"And before you ask," Steph said to her mother who had yet to regain her composure, "there's no date picked or plans made."

"You can't just decide to get married before ..."

"Before what? Speaking to you about it? Telling the Burg that we're considering it? Ranger and I are the ones getting married. And we're both okay with it."

"Think real hard about this, Cupcake, about what you'll be agreeing to with him."

"I'll be getting to spend my days with someone who loves me as much as I do him. Is that what you meant?"

"No."

"Choose your words very carefully, Morelli," I warned him. "You're not going to ruin the holiday by throwing a tantrum because you just realized you won't be getting what you want."

"Which is _what_ exactly? Since you think you have all the answers."

"He does," Hal added helpfully.

"Especially when it comes to your motives," I told Morelli. "We both know you still want Stephanie."

Like it had been discussed and choreographed earlier, my men all slid their chairs back from the table.

"Relax, guys," Steph told them. "Joe doesn't want me ... and Ranger does. End of conversation."

"Not to quote Lula or anything," Bobby said, "but you don't know much about men."

"He's," she pointed at Morelli with her finger, "the one who said we should break up. We did. And we're both happier that way. He's moved on, and so have I."

"He didn't move far, Babe. Why do you think he's here?"

"To get dessert and maybe some information on me, but he couldn't stand me whenever we tried to live together, why would he want to put himself through that again?"

"Because he loves you, Steph," Valerie informed her.

"If he really loved her, he would have treated her better while he still had a chance," I pointed out. "He doesn't now."

"Maybe I should go," Morelli said, pushing his half-eaten pie away.

"You think?" I asked.

"When did this happen?" Helen asked Stephanie.

"Our engagement? Before Ranger left this last time. I would've told you, but I was worried this would happen."

"He did it _right before_ he disappeared again? That should tell you something, Cupcake. He wanted to make sure you'd wait for him."

Her hand curled around mine. "Which I did ... _happily_. Bye, Joe."

Just like the petulant child he is ... he stormed out. Knowing that the details of this dinner will be circulating town in under an hour, he didn't slam the door behind him like I'm sure he wanted to.

"Now that that's out of the way," Edna said, not fazed at all by the mixed emotions filling the dining room, "tell us _everything_."

"Yeah," Valerie added, "don't leave anything out."

Helen remained tight-lipped, and likely in a state of shock, and our evening in the Burg ended shortly after.

"Ranger?" Steph asked, as I backed out of her parents' driveway.

"Yeah, Babe?"

"Do you think we can go away for Christmas so we don't have to do that again?"

"You thinking somewhere on this coast? West Coast? Or out of the country entirely?"

She thought about it for a minute. "How easy is it to get a passport or have one renewed?"

"You can have one in minutes if you know the right person. A marriage certificate is also just as easy to obtain. I have a guy who can handle both."

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Eloping under the illusion of a vacation?"

"Yup," she said, turning her head towards me. "It sounds pretty good. No muss, no fuss, and no drama. Just you and me ... and of course the person who'll be marrying us."

"Works for me."

"I had a feeling you'd say that. I had a big and also freakin' expensive church wedding, and that didn't end well. Maybe a simple wedding on a beach in the Caribbean will work out better."

"It was who was getting married, Steph, not the location that was the problem."

"I know, but now that I found the perfect person, a good backdrop and tropical temperatures can't hurt."

"I'll make the arrangements tomorrow."

She looked at the time on the dash. "It's still pretty early ... what do you think we should do tonight? Look for possible places to go and hotels to stay?"

She really is adorable when she attempts to flirt. "No, I have plans for you for tonight."

"Oh really? Like what?"

"I see us celebrating my return home ... as well as our engagement throughout the night, since we both just decided its days are now numbered."

"Works for me," she said, parroting back my words. "Did I mention that I had to go commando today?"

"No. I definitely would have remembered that."

"In ten minutes you can find out for yourself if I'm kidding or actually serious."

She doesn't usually joke about underwear, hers or my lack of them, so I'm taking her at her word.

My phone buzzed with a text as I was contemplating what I'm going to do with the information she just gave me. I one-handed the wheel as I read the message.

"Something important?" She asked.

"It's from Vince. Looks like Stager was apprehended by the TPD."

"Where?"

"At the convenience store off Broad."

He's one lucky bastard. I had a not-so-comfortable room at Rangeman with his name on it. I wanted it made clear that touching my woman will result in him being dead before the authorities could get involved.

"That's good. We can put this entire day behind us then."

The day can be forgotten, but I'll make certain the night won't be. With Stager and the engagement reveal out of the way, we're free to just enjoy it while it lasts and then we'll get started on enjoying the next phase of our relationship as husband and wife.


End file.
